Former India captain Rohit Sharma shared a warm moment with Pakistan pace legend Wasim Akram in Colombo ahead of the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash on Sunday. The two were seen chatting, hugging and shaking hands during the pre-match ceremony, with the clip quickly going viral online.
Rohit was in Colombo in his role as brand ambassador for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and made sure to pile on around cricket’s biggest rivalry. He spent time in the Indian camp, greeting the players and support staff with smiles and handshakes, looking like an older figure who dropped in to wish the team good luck ahead of the big night.
IND vs PAK: Complete Score | Highlighting
However, the moment that stole the limelight was his interaction with Akram. Rohit and the Pakistan great were tasked with walking away with the T20 World Cup trophy ahead of India’s clash with Pakistan alongside International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Sanjog Gupta. Ahead of the routine ceremony at the R Premadasa Stadium, the two had a friendly exchange, posing for photos and hugging each other, prompting mixed reactions from fans online.
Watch the video:
Why Rohit and Akram’s hug grabbed attention
This interaction stood out even more as it took place against the backdrop of India continuing its no-handshake stance with the Pakistan team. At the toss, India captain Suryakumar Yadav again did not take part in the customary salute with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, in line with the policy followed by the Indian side since the Asia Cup.
Amidst the intensity of the match and the narratives surrounding it, Rohit’s moment with Akram offered a softer picture, the two icons from opposite sides of the border laughing and hugging around the trophy as the stadium readied for the next chapter of the rivalry.
Rohit was also seen spending time with the Indians group during the build-up, exchanging greetings and hugging a few players. His presence was part of his ambassadorial duties for the 2026 edition of the tournament.
While India asserted their authority in the match on Sunday, his friendly moment with Akram offered a rare sense of lightness amid the usual intensity surrounding the rivalry.
How did IND vs PAK turn out?
However, once the cricket started, India once again let their bat and ball do the talking. The Suryakumar-led side extended their dominance over Pakistan in Colombo, handing Salman Ali Agh’s side a crushing 61-run defeat on Sunday as the match became largely one-sided.
The head-to-head tally now reads emphatically 8-1 in India’s favor after they pushed a clueless Pakistan into the Super 8s stage. India, who handed Pakistan their heaviest defeat in the T20I rivalry, also won the spin battle in Colombo on Sunday, February 15.
Ishan Kishan set the tone with a blistering 77 off 40 balls to power India to 175. Pakistan’s chase never really got going as the Indian bowlers crushed any hopes of a fightback. Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel claimed two wickets each before Pakistan were bundled out for just 114 while chasing 176.
T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup Schedule | T20 World Cup Points Table | T20 World Cup Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 16, 2026